Deck the Halls…Christmas Preparation
Almost Thanksgiving and already Christmas preparations are beginning. Today I thought I’d give you a bit of a behind the scenes look at how I prep for the holiday season. Bloggers live about a month ahead in terms of holiday decorating. I’m setting the scene now for things I hope to show you in a week or so and my home looks like a demolition zone. LOL.
I’m starting to put together wreaths for the Morning Room and the kitchen so went out this morning to gather magnolia branches. You can see in the picture above that they are wrapped in a tarp and resting on my floor while I get ready to clean them. I’ll be doing a blog on Magnolia wreaths soon.
I’ve unpacked one box of decorations that hold mainly trees and deer. I’ll be using them for a couple of vignettes this week. I laid a holiday tablecloth down on the dining room table to help put me in the mood for decorating.
I keep an inventory of holiday decorations on the computer assigning every box a letter with a detailed list of what’s inside. That way I know which box holds the items I’m looking for. I also keep an inventory of tree decorations which helps me keep track of ornaments and what to look for at the Thrift Store. The list is updated at the end of December as I pack things away for next year. It sounds like a lot of work but saves so much time the next year. I don’t use all of the decorations every year so some boxes don’t have to be taken out of storage at all.
The surfaces that ar slated for decorating are given a good dust and polish. A clean slate helps me visualize what will go there. The pieces that are removed get packed away or relocated to another spot in the house. All of this takes a few days to accomplish and the house is a bit of a wreck during the changeover.
Silver is polished. This happens over several days as there is a lot to polish. Polishing stimulates my imagination and helps me create a picture for this year’s decorations. I also find it relaxing to just drift and polish. I know how that sounds but repetitive movement tends to be soothing.
When the work is done for the day, it’s time for a soothing cup of tea by the fire…a time for dreaming and planning what comes next. Have a great week!
I like your process and organization! It speaks to my soul.
Organization is key. It helps to know what you have and where it is. Thanks for stopping by.
Lynne
I wish I could be as organized as you. I open a storage box and try to remember where/when I got that particular thing! I love your collection of trees and deer; they work for all winter! Working on clutter around here before I even think of decorating!
That used to be my approach so one holiday season I just decided to organize. It was a life saver for my holiday decorating. Thanks for sharing.
Lynne
OH I love your chart and box marking idea! That is a great way to know what is in each box. I wish I had thought to do that. I do have a few sticky labels on our totes that list the big things like stockings, village, tree skirt, etc. but most of the other decorations aren’t marked.
I did sticky notes for awhile but kept losing them. Now we using packing tape to label the boxes with what’s inside as well as the computer inventory. It helps a lot. Thanks for commenting and sharing.
Lynne
Great ideas. Thanks
My pleasure. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Lynne
Golly, computerized organization? LOL, I’m a bit more organic and pick a tote and use it all or not. But, thanks for reminding me my trays need polishing. Grins, and Christmas won’t come here until first week in December. Sandi
When we downsized into the temporary 1/3 sized townhome that is exactly the method I used for packing up the house. The inside flap of each moving box listed its contents. The box was numbered on the outside & this info was recorded in a ledger (box #, itemized contents, & what room or casegood held it originally). Each room of the previous house was numbered by 100’s. This ensured that the quantity of boxes never exceeded the series (e.g. 100 for kitchen, 200 for dining room, etc). These boxes are currently in the basement in stacked rows by numerical series until we get to our permanent destination. One and done (decorations and all).
I so appreciate such an organized approach to packing. We did something similar the last time we moved. It’s such a good feeling to be able to locate exactly what you need in a minimum amount of time. Hope you’ll be settled in your permanent home soon. Thanks for visiting and sharing.
Lynne